Next Stop, Super Bowl

Patriots Throw Off Manning's Game On Cold, Snowy Field

New England Patriots 24, Indianapolis Colts 14

January 19, 2004|By JOHN ALTAVILLA; Courant Staff Writer

FOXBORO, Mass. — The weather was uncomfortable and the determination of the Patriots defense unmistakable. That was a combination not even the indefatigable Peyton Manning could overcome Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots are going to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. And the reasons could be found in the dents left in the chassis of the league's co-MVP during Sunday's 24-14 victory over the Colts in the AFC Championship Game.

``All due respect to Peyton Manning, but we got a little tired of hearing all the hype,'' said Patriots cornerback Ty Law, who intercepted Manning three times. ``We figured it was time to show everyone we can play, too.''

What separates the Patriots (14-2, 2-0 playoffs) from their second Super Bowl championship is a victory over the NFC champion Carolina Panthers Feb. 1 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Carolina advanced with a 14-3 victory over the Eagles Sunday night in Philadelphia.

The Patriots have won 14 in a row. If they win Super Bowl XXXVIII, their 15th will be the most for any team since the undefeated Dolphins won all 17 on the way to their Super Bowl VII victory in 1973.

``Who does that? No one does that in the NFL anymore,'' Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. ``That's just incredible.''

The Patriots haven't lost a home playoff game since the Houston Oilers beat them Dec. 31, 1978. Sunday, they used five field goals from Adam Vinatieri, tying a playoff record, and an attack mentality on defense to make sure it didn't happen again. They sacked Manning four times and coaxed him into four interceptions after he entered the game having thrown only 10 in the regular season and opening playoff game.

``I'd done my part to get here,'' Manning, who completed 23 of 47 for 237 yards, said. ``But I needed to do my part again and I didn't do it. I feel responsible and accountable and I feel disappointed about that.''

Actually, the Colts faced their first dilemma hours before kickoff when the snow that blanketed Connecticut early Sunday finally reached Gillette Stadium.

``We would have loved for this game to be played in our dome, but this was the hand dealt us,'' Colts receiver Reggie Wayne said.

The grounds crew peeled the tarp from the field more than three hours before the start, giving the cold and damp time to settle in. If the idea was to slow the Colts offense, so reliant on the synchronization of its receivers with Manning, it worked nearly to perfection.

``The weather had nothing to do with it,'' Colts coach Tony Dungy said.

Still, by the end of the first half, the snow was beginning to stick and the Patriots were sticking it to the Colts, 15-0.

``The game plan basically was to bloody their noses a little bit on every play,'' Patriots defensive end Willie McGinest said. ``We wanted to make them earn every yard because we knew if we let them play a finesse game they'd be better at it than us.''

The Patriots drove 65 yards on 13 plays and scored a touchdown on their first possession when Brady (22 of 37, 237 yards) hit David Givens with a 7-yard pass. And then Manning uncharacteristically began to make mistakes.

Safety Rodney Harrison intercepted Manning in the end zone to end the Colts first drive.

It was the first time Manning had been intercepted in 61 postseason attempts and it led to a 31-yard field goal by Vinatieri in the second quarter that increased the lead to 10-0.

Then Law picked one off on the first play of the Colts' next possession, a turnover Vinatieri turned into a 13-0 lead with a 25-yard field goal.

The Patriots picked up a safety when the Colts' Justin Snow launched a snap over the head of punter Hunter Smith with 4:08 to play in the first half. Smith, who hadn't punted in Indianapolis' first two playoff games, had no choice but to chase the ball down and kick it out of the end zone.

``I don't really know what the rest of the country thinks of us,'' Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. ``But this win was awesome.''